Howdy to All the New Tea Drinkers!
Howdy there partner! It's Amy!
Thanks for joining in on learning all about tea.
Now, we all have busy lives so I'll make my blog posts short and simple so we stay engaged and ready to learn. So let's get started!
What is tea?
A drink made from dried leaves, buds and stems from a plant called Camellia Sinensis.
What types of tea are there?
Quite frankly, a lot. Hahaha.
But to keep things simple, the basics are: White, Black (Red), Green and Oolong.
Now, I'm NOT trying to say there are more "advanced" teas. Each tea fits nicely into their own respective category, which is why there are so many (all equally tasty)! But the basic teas you would commonly find at, say a grocery store, would be White, Black, Green and occasinonally Oolong teas.
WAIT - But Amy! You're telling me that all the TEAS IN THE WORLD come from ONE plant????
Hehehehe...why yes, young tea Padawan.
*With the exception of tisanes and herbal teas, which I will discuss at a later time.*
How does one plant make so many different types of tea?
I'm so glad you asked this question (I know...I'm talking to myself)!
It all comes down to how the tea leaves, stems, and buds are processed. The major factors that create different teas include processes such as: oxidization, moisture, and drying. There are other factors like roasting, rolling, mixing, etc. Some teas are even smoked over a roaring fire! But nearly every tea will go through the first few steps in processing.
Okay! Now that we learned what tea is, how do we make it?
Well, to explain as simple as possible:
Grab a cup, add some tea leaves or bagged tea.
Pour some heated distilled water into your cup.
Let it sit for a short time to steep.
Remove the tea leaves or bagged tea, and BAM. Tea is served.
Simple right?
But...if you want really tasty tea, then you gotta brew your tea the "right way" - according to what tea you're having and what method of brewing style you want to do. I put the words "right way" into quotations because, although there are true and tested methods of brewing, it all comes down to what you personally enjoy! And I will gladly teach you everything I know or things I learn across the way.
Tea is such a fun and lovely drink to have.
So, as you go through this tea journey with me, I hope you'll find what you really love! Try as many different teas and brewing styles as possible. Just like anything in life, find what you love and have fun doing it! That's all for today young tea Padawan.
- Amy
Shop fine Chinese teas at goldenlifetea.com. Our four teas: Ruby Black Tea, Jasmine Green Tea, Rose Black Tea (Formosa), and Sky Red Oolong Tea (Oriental Beauty) are developed by Dr. Lingyun Zhang, master of tea horticulture and renowned tea scientist.
If you wish to source rare teas, please contact us at goldenlifetea.com.